But trust me, mind control is childs play compared to the other powers I have planned to bring in. Powers like Deadly Sight, Spear of Midnight Black, Mass Illusions, Force Phantom, and the list goes on.

But I thought the mind control was a nice touch. It won't make another appearance though.

Added Chapter 64 to The Shadows Fall"Your only hope to survive is to give in to the rage boiling within you, to acknowledge the Dark Side you deny, and tap into it!"--Darth Tyranus

Over an hour of fighting had left The Harbinger drained. The corpses of Ardunna's executioners lay strewn about the arena. Three rancors, several Corellian Slice Hounds, five Mastiff Hounds, and ten Sand Panthers littered the arena. She did not care for the senseless killing that she was forced into, but she had no choice. Her mission was far more important than her feelings, but she could not ignore them. For now, she kept them hidden.

She sheathed her lightsabers into the hidden pouches of her black robes. She could hear Ardunna spew his foul language at his henchmen, no doubt displeased over the loss of his beasts. She could feel his despair.

The voice amplification systems switched on with a loud whine. "Well, ladies and gentlemen, it seems our criminal has killed all of our executioners." His voice gave the impression that he was as displeased as his slug master.

Eyeing Ardunna's private box, she leapt up to it, landing on the Hutt's dias. She quickly pulled out her main-hand lightsaber and pointed the inactive weapon at the Hutt's slime covered belly. "I tire of your games, Hutt!"

Ardunna's guards, three Weequay armed with light blaster rifles and covered in bone plate armor, pointed their weapons at her. Ardunna laughed in her face, his intoxicating breath made her gag. But she remained defiant.

She lowered her voice. "Honor your debt to my father, or I will spare you his wrath now." She quickly leapt over Ardunna and activated her lightsaber, placing the green blade across the Hutt's massive jowels. "Call them off and surrender to the demands."

He flapped his fat arms around in a desperate struggle to escape, but his fat made him fairly immobile. <"Lower your weapons."> He commanded the Weequay guards. <"You win, girl. The Hutt Cartel will honor its agreement with The Great One.">

She deactivated her lightsaber and stepped off of the dias and casually walked to the front. "See that you do, Hutt." She said, pointing at him. "My father is gathering his forces. He is preparing to unleash a war that the galaxy has never seen. You would best not disappoint him."

She stepped back to the balcony and leapt off of the private box, landing in the center of the arena gracefully. She located the gate from which she entered and headed towards it. She lifted the rusted gate with The Force and entered the wet tunnel.

Finally, she could leave this planet.

*** *** *** ***

The Prism- Prisoner Transfer Center

The Prism had been turned into a battlefield. Swarms of prisoners and guards attacked Jedi Knights and assault droids with makeshift weapons and blaster pistols. The swarm of over two hundred prisoners surrounded Kam Solusar and his eight fellow Jedi. The assault droids had already been scrapped by the rogue guards and their allies, left to rust away in a crumpled heap.

The swarm closed in more and more, but the Jedi held them back. Kam and his fellow Jedi cut down the prisoners and guards with quick strikes, intent on incapacitating and not killing. The swarming prisoners and guards attacked with reckless abandon, their attacks wild and unguided, allowing Kam and the other Jedi to easily dispatch them.

As the swarm continued to close in, Kam fell into The Force, ducking and dodging each attack with ease and retaliating with a precise slash with his lightsaber. The tide was quickly turning with each movement Kam made. But the swarm was unrelenting. Kam had not realized that he and the Jedi had been pushed back to the entrance of the Warden's office.

But the battle was nearly over. The swarm had been diminished to a small group of less than twenty prisoners, still attacking as if they were backed by hundreds of allies. Kam ducked under a wild decapitating stroke from an Aqualish prisoner armed with a knife, and sweeped his legs with his lightsaber. Before the prisoner hit the ground, Kam pushed him away with The Force, sending the prisoner into the other prisoners.

Kam and his fellow Jedi charged forward, cutting down the rest of the prisoners in quick time. As the last one fell to his blade, Kam released his tension with a deep exhale. They had been victorious, for now. But he sensed that their battle was far from over.

His feelings were confirmed when the elevator to Solitary Confinement opened, and out stepped the man who had caused this riot- The Master. And with him, darkness followed.

Added Chapter 64 to The Shadows Fall"Your only hope to survive is to give in to the rage boiling within you, to acknowledge the Dark Side you deny, and tap into it!"--Darth Tyranus

[/COLOR]Haven't had the time to read this of late but I finally have, can't wait for the Master to show his stuff!

I haven't had much time to post, but I plan to post daily, starting now.

Chapter 16

The Prism- Main Prisoner Transfer Center

The Master, garbed in black robes, stepped out of the elevator. The atmosphere of the Transfer Center shifted greatly with his entrance. Overhead lights dimmed and darkness descended upon Kam and his fellow Jedi. Purple mist followed The Master out of the elevator, and spread around the room.

Following The Master were his followers interned with him in Solitary Confinement. Kam had studied the repetoire of The Master and his followers. His followers were an assortment of species. A large and heavily muscled human, The Soldier as he was known by, wore barely fitting black robes striped with blood red lines, a female woman resembling a Nightsister from Dathomir, The Beastmaster, was garbed in robes that showed much of her skin.

They were followed by a Togruta with blue and white skin, donned in black robes. Her skin would be flawlessly perfect if not for the purple lines that dominated her face, her corruption by The Master was clearly evident. She was followed by a short bald man with cybernetic implants embedded in several locations on his head. He was garbed in the black robes of his master.

Last among them was a female human, The Lore-master. She had long flowing black hair, and wore purple robes adorned with several symbols. From looking at her, one would think she was perfectly calm, but Kam felt her inner grief, and her doubt. He could sense doubt in all of them, but The Master was the picture of calm rage.

In the center of the Transfer Center, The Master stood before them, an evil look in his eyes. The darkness swirled around him slowly, the purple mist at his feet flowing like a current. He stood in the center of the darkness, the eye of a dark storm. He reached his hand outward, and at his command, the darkness once again descended upon them.

Kam could feel it falling upon him and his fellow Jedi. He tried to move, but he found his muscles locked. He tried to speak to his fellow Jedi, but his mouth refused to move. It was as if his whole body was frozen. He could only breathe, and watch as The Master prepared himself to attack.

"Can you feel it, Jedi?" He asked them, his voice malevolent, gifted with a hypnotic allure. "You are helpless before me." He laughed softly to himself. "How the tables have turned. Now I am the master of this prison, and you are my prisoners."

He turned his head left to his students. "Go to the armory and retrieve our weapons. I shall handle this... personally."

The Soldier bowed slightly and motioned for the others to follow him. He used the Force to open a large blast door right of the Solitary Confinement elevator, and the group left them, closing the blast door behind them.

The Master returned his attention to Kam and his six Jedi companions. "Now then. It has been a long time since I fully exercised my power. Consider yourselves test subjects as I test the power that millenia of study of the Force has given me!"

He lifted his left arm. The darkness that surrounded The Master descended on his left hand, forming itself into a weapon, a two-pronged spear. The black spear, as dark as the night, levitated above his hand. He twisted his wrist and pointed at one of the Jedi, a purple Twi'lek in the tan tunic, typical attire of a Jedi Knight. The spear launched itself with great speed. In a single moment, the spear had traversed across the room and plunged into the Twi'lek, sending him flying into the Warden's Office. As the life left his body, the spear vanished, its darkness returning to The Master.

"Ah." The Master let out a long breath. "I can feel your fear, Jedi. You all know that the end is near." He inhaled deeply, the darkness surrounding him billowed. He scanned the group of Jedi. Three female humans, one male Ithorian, one male Togruta, and Kam Solusar. His gaze settled on a red haired female of average height and build. His gaze intensified, his darkness focused solely on her. In moments, her feet burst into flame, the fire quickly engulfing her fully. She was unable to move, unable to scream, and in seconds, she was reduced to a small pile of ash.

If the Jedi could do anything, they would, but The Master delighted in their fear, fed on it. He would not let them free of his darkness until their fear had consumed them to the point of hopelessness.

The Master drew in the darkness that surrounded them, focusing it in outstreched hands. When he felt that he had accumulated enough power, he unleashed it in a devastating blast of pure dark side energies. The wave of energy collided with the Ithorian and the other two female Jedi. The devastating energy utterly destroyed their bodies, completely disintegrating them. Nothing was left of them.

The permeating darkness billowed with its master's delight. The Master stood at the center of the now chaotic storm, drawing in its energies. He then targeted the Togruta. He raised his right hand and focused the dark side. Orange and purple tendrils raced from his fingers and connected with the torso and head of the Togruta, draining his energies and replenishing The Master of his energy... not that he needed it, Kam Solusar's fear was enough. When The Master felt the last of the Togruta's life energy fade away, he ceased his assault.

The Master retracted the darkness that prevented Kam, the last of the Jedi, from moving. He then used the Force to call the Togruta's lightsaber to him. He activated the silver-blue blade, taking up the traditional stance of Makashi. "Now Solusar, let us fight."

Kam hesitated, but quickly steadied himself and activated his lightsaber.

The Master closed distance slowly, the swirling darkness following him. Kam made the first move in haste, raising his lightsaber up and bringing it down in a heavy downward strike. The Master blocked the attack and used his blade to guide the attack to the left. He then brought his elbow up to hit Kam in the chin. He spun away as Kam recovered.

The Master closed the distance once again. He made quick strikes to prod at Kam's defenses. He made strikes to Kam's left and right sides with great speed, flourishing with each recoil. His offense was quickly stopped when Kam summoned a powerful Force Push to push The Master back.

Kam then took the offensive, charging with his lightsaber raised. He brought his blade down in several heavy two-handed strikes, forcing The Master to fall on his mastery of the third form of Soresu. The Master blocked each attack, backpedaling with each block. He stayed on the defensive, letting Kam believe that he has the upper hand.

The battle had quickly moved into the docking bay where a single shuttle was docked. The Master continued to stay on the defensive, blocking and deflecting each heavy strike that Kam made. The Master continued to block, leaving each opening he saw untouched until they reached the landing pad. The Master then struck with a lightning fast strike that caught Kam off-balance. He fell into Juyo and made a series of lightning fast strikes. His blade blurred, moving so fast that it seemed that he was attacking with a dozen weapons, creating a deadly web of blue energy.

The speed and ferocity of the attack caused Kam's defense to falter, and with a single final strike he knocked Kam's lightsaber aside. He then brushed his blade against Kam's right leg, forcing him to his knees.

The Master stopped his attack. "Do you see it now, Jedi?" The Master studied the pained expression on Kam's face. "You had no hope of defeating me. You have failed, and now you will die."

With those words, a red lightsaber was plunged into Kam's back. Emerging from stealth was The Assassin, an evil grin on his face.

The Master saw the look of disbelief on Kam's face. "Did you really think I was truly captured? Fool! Your foolishness has handed me my own personal fortress." The sudden realization of this simple fact stunned Kam, and after learning the truth, the valiant Jedi passed on, becoming one with the Force.

The Master deactivated his blade. "Excellent work, my student. Now I claim The Prism as my fortress. You have done well, Assassin."

The Assassin deactivated his own lightsaber and knelt before his master. "The galaxy darkens with your rise, my master."

Indeed it did.

Spoiler

One thing I wanted to convey in this particular chapter was that The Master wants to make people fear him. And that was the main reason for the 'testing' that he did to those poor Jedi. It also shows just how dark The Master has become.

Also The Beastmaster is of Nightsister heritage. Her overall history remains, just a few additions have been made. I think I will expand upon that (and other things) after the third installment. So look for a Prequel trilogy ().

Force Powers shown:
Spear of Midnight Black- originally the spear is invisible, but it has been made real by The Master's darkness.
Deadly Sight- basically killing someone just by looking at them.
Force Devastation or Force Blast- a powerful blast of pure dark side energies.

Added Chapter 64 to The Shadows Fall"Your only hope to survive is to give in to the rage boiling within you, to acknowledge the Dark Side you deny, and tap into it!"--Darth Tyranus

The Harbinger entered the docking bay in which her starship sat. The red exterior of the Defender-class vessel had since rusted, revealing the silver durasteel of the ship's hull. The vessel bore the scars of many engagements, as well as the effects of time. The ship did not have many journeys left, but The Harbinger hoped that her quest was almost done.

As she neared the boarding ramp of the ship, movement in the shadows near the landing gears caught her eye. She pulled one of her lightsabers out from her robes and activated it. The green glow illuminated the landing gear, revealing the pitiful creature Grewd.

"You!" She shouted at him. She gripped the deformed Evocii with the Force and pulled him out of the shadows. She threw him to the ground and leapt on him, bringing her blade across his throat. "You betrayed me! You tricked me!" She burned with anger at his betrayal.

Grewd let out several blood chilling screams as he struggled to escape The Harbinger. "No! Grewd didn't want to. The Hutt made him do it." He whined in a high pitched voice, still struggling to escape.

The Harbinger pressed her lightsaber closer to the creature's skin. "What's to stop me from killing you right now?" She raised her lightsaber to kill Grewd.

"Because you don't want to." The easily recognizable suave voice of Jadec stopped her just before her lightsaber hit Grewd. He was standing in the entranceway to the docking bay, leaning against door-frame.

She quickly stood up, leaving Grewd to flee back to the shadows under the Defender. "What do you know what I want to do?" She yelled at him, still burning with anger.

Jadec raised his hands up. "Calm down, darlin'." He slowly approached her. "He can't hurt you, and you know that. Any threat that he posed has passed." He put his hands on her shoulders, brushing her silver hair back.

She knew he was right. She switched off her lightsaber and returned it to her robes. She shrugged his hands away. "Fine, but I'm not taking him with me." She calmed herself with a deep breath. She turned back to the Defender and headed towards it, using the Force to open the boarding ramp.

She heard Jadec's footsteps behind her. "I'm coming with you." He said in a commanding tone. He stopped behind her.

She turned around to face him. "Why?" She did not know why he would want to come with her. "My quest is a dangerous one, and I can't afford the distractions."

Jadec shrugged his shoulders. "I've been trying to get off this rock for a while. I guess you're my ticket out of here. Maybe I'll stick around just in case you need backup. I can hold my own in a fight." He said pointing to the two blasters on his belt. "And I'm a pretty good pilot."

She sensed that he had no intent on backing down. "Fine." She said under her breath. She resumed walking up the boarding ramp.

Jadec followed after her. "So where are we going?"

She did not know, but she was going to find out.

*** *** *** ***

The Prism- Armory

The Soldier strapped on a metal leg bracer on his right leg, the silver durasteel shimmering from the bright light of The Prism's armory. The armory was still stocked with heavy weaponry suited for a battlefield. He did not know why, but he did not think heavily on it for he had more important things to worry about.

The other Watchers, having collected their lightsabers, were either sitting on low benches against the walls or pacing the large room. The Soldier stood up from his seat on a steel bench and clipped his lightsaber on his belt. "You felt it didn't you?" He asked them rhetorically. "The darkness has shifted... the Jedi are dead." He knew it would be so, Solusar and his group of Jedi defenders were no match for The Master.

The Guardian continued to walk slowly around the room, thinking. "Your plan is a foolish one, Soldier." She stopped in front of him. "I doubt even together we could challenge him." She resumed walking around the room until she stopped at the bench The Brain was sitting at. She sat down next to him.

The Soldier shook his head. "We can't continue to serve a master that leaves us in the dark! We should have taken over the galaxy by now! Instead we were forced to suffer the indignities of imprisonment." He was almost shouting at them. He was barely able to keep his anger and frustration in check.

The Brain nodded in agreement. "Soldier is right. The Master's plan is far more complex than I had anticipated. Being captured was not expected. I believe a regime change is in order, but not until we have control of the galaxy."

The Guardian shook her head. "You felt his power. Even when he held back the darkness he is more powerful than any of us. How do you all expect to defeat him?"

The Soldier quickly rushed to her. He leaned down until they were face to face, an evil look on his face made her flinch. "We will defeat him." He whispered before he stood back up. "When the Galactic Alliance has been vanquished, The Watchers will strike down their master and take their rightful place as rulers of the galaxy!"

*** *** *** ***

The Defender- Meditation Chamber

The well-lit chamber and fresh scent of recently scrubbed paneling was refreshing to The Harbinger after spending so long in Ardunna's Palace. She sat in the center of the chamber, waiting for The Master's Holocron to activate itself. Jadec stood at the back of the room. The Harbinger let him witness her discussions with her father so that he may learn what her mission is.

The Holocron activate, bathing her in its green glow. The Master's image was projected from the device, obscuring Jadec from her vision. "Ah, child, so you were successful?"

"Yes, father. I have completed Ardunna's challenge, but I wonder why a galactic competition was my challenge." She still did not know after many hours of meditation on the puzzle.

"It is because there was no challenge. Ardunna wished to kill you for reasons unknown to me. Your success is only a testament to your power and lineage."

The Harbinger's eyes narrowed. "Lineage?" She knew her father was powerful, but she did not think that being his daughter made her powerful. Unless he was also referring to her mother? "Is this about my mother?" Her mother was a powerful Jedi, but her power wasn't noteworthy in The Harbinger's eyes.

"It matters not. Now, we must continue our work."

"Wait!" She blurted out. "Did you manage to escape, yet?"

The image smiled, no doubt pleased with her concern. "Yes. The Prism is under my control."

"Don't you fear retaliation?" She asked, knowing that the Galactic Alliance would not allow The Master to disappear.

The image laughed. "It is of no concern. The Prism is more than capable of withstanding an attack. You see, The Prism has been modified to be a battlestation in addition to a prison. During the Clone Wars, The Prism held several valuable Seperatist Council members. At the command of Count Dooku, the cyborg General Grievous led an attack on The Prism using several warships. The Prism survived the attack and forced the fleet to retreat."

"How do you know this?" She asked him with curiousity.

"Because I was there. I will spare you the details, suffice to say that I defeated General Grievous in battle and forced him to flee. Now, we must return to your mission."

She bowed her head low. "Yes, father. What would you have me do?"

"With the Hutts under our control we have established a large underworld presence. Now we need an additional military presence."

The Harbinger did not understand why. "But your ships were easily defeating Alliance ships in the last war. Why do you need military aid?"

"The Alliance was caught flat-footed by my assault. They are now gathering forces in preperation for war. An additional militant force will secure my victory. I am sending you to the Chiss Ascendancy."

The Harbinger had studied the Ascendancy before. The Chiss did not take action unless forced to. "I don't think the Chiss are likely to join you."

The Master's image nodded in agreement. "Under normal circumstances, but my... ally in the Ascendancy has great political and military pull. He will help you."

The Harbinger continued to be amazed by how expansive her father's influence was. Even the Chiss Ascendancy had been infiltrated. "Yes, father. I shall go at once." She expected the image to disappear, but it remained, staring at her.

"You cannot hide your feelings from me. Do not forget what you are doing. Failure is not an option." With those parting words, the image vanished and the Holocron's green glow subsided.

Jadec stepped into the center of the chamber until he stood next to the Holocron. "Cheery guy." He said sarcastically, staring at the device.

The Harbinger got up from her seated position. "Get the ship ready for launch, I want to be off of Nal Hutta as soon as possible." She turned heel and opened the sealed chamber door with The Force.

Jadec reached a hand out, but quickly retracted it. "Are you going to be ordering me around all the time?" He heard her chuckle softly as she exited the chamber. "Thought so. What have you gotten yourself into, Jadec?"

Added Chapter 64 to The Shadows Fall"Your only hope to survive is to give in to the rage boiling within you, to acknowledge the Dark Side you deny, and tap into it!"--Darth Tyranus

The Master had taken great care to remove all that remained of the previous warden of The Prism. He removed the sets of obnoxious artwork that lined the walls, the decorative plants on the desk, and the computer. The Master was in control of The Prism, and he had no need for the pretentiousness of the previous warden.

The Master sat on the edge of the desk, The Shadow and Assassin kneeling before him, there lekku draped over their shoulders. "You have done well, students." He slid off the desk to a standing position. "Very well indeed." The Master walked in a circle around them. "Had it not been for the two of you, I would have had greater difficulty escaping."

The Shadow and Assassin both kept their heads bowed, but exchanged quick glances. "But you would have escaped eventually?" The Shadow asked.

The Master chuckled softly. "Of course, but because you 'rescued' me, I am prepared to reward you handsomely." The Master stopped in front of them. "Tell me what you desire, and it shall be yours."

The two Twi'leks remained kneeling. "We only wish to serve... and kill in your name." The Assassin answered.

The Master expected that answer. "Good. Then it should please you to know that I intend to give you just that."

"Master?" The Shadow queried, curious to know what he meant. "Who shall we kill?"

"There are two Jedi in pursuit of The Harbinger. You-" He said as he pointed at them. "Will find them... and kill them." The Master felt elation exude from The Assassin. He often wondered if letting The Assassin loose so often was a good idea, but of course it was. "Now rise. Go forth to Csilla, your quarry will arrive there shortly after you do."

The two Twi'leks rose to their feet and, with one last bow, exited the office, skirting past the other Watchers as they entered the room. The other Watchers knelt before their master. The Soldier produced a lightsaber from his sleeve. "Your weapon... my master." There was hesitation in his voice, but The Master paid no attention to it.

The Master grabbed the hilt of the lightsaber. It was a slim hilt, lined with spikes at the rim. The butt of the hilt ended with a long spike. It was different from his old lightsaber. The Master had built it as a replacement for the weapon confiscated by the Jedi. "Excellent." He said as he stored it within his blackened robes.

The Watchers rose to a standing position. "You have your fortress, now what?" The Guardian asked.

The Master had spent a great deal of time planning the nest step of his plan. He had studied the inner workings of The Prism for many years and found that the super-prison was capable of hyperspace travel. He planned to take full advantage of this ability. "We have business with a certain fish-people."

*** *** *** ***

Defender- Meditation Chamber

The Harbinger found hyperspace travel to be long and boring. Despite having a Class 1 hyperdrive, the trip to Csilla was taking far too long. What made matters worse was that her father had not yet told her exactly what she was supposed to do once she got there. She held The Master's Holocron in her lap, waiting for it to activate once again.

The door behind her opened and Jadec stepped into the chamber. "We have arrived at Csilla a lot sooner than expected." He knelt down next to her. "So what now?"

The Holocron pulsed green. The Harbinger set down in front of her and used the Force to push it to the center of the chamber. The Master's image once again emerged from the device. "You have arrived on Csilla I see." The Harbinger did not bother to ask how he knew, the answer was too obvious. "And who is this?" He said gesturing to Jadec.

"He's a friend that I picked up on Hutta." The Harbinger promptly answered. "He can be trusted."

"You'd best hope so, for his sake."

Jadec tugged on the collar of his tan vest. "Did it suddenly get hotter in here?"

The Master paid no attention to the man. "Csilla is a frozen world, very inhospitable, but the Chiss have made it their home. Your contact on Csilla is a Chiss who is currently heading the Chiss Expansionary Defense Force. His name is far to complex for either of us to successfully pronounce, despite my years of study of the Chiss language. You need only refer to him as The Minister. He is the key to securing the Chiss military."

The Harbinger shifted slightly. "How can we be sure this Chiss can secure the Ascendancy?"

"The Minister is a very influential figure. He will inform you of the situation when you meet with him." The Master's image dissipated back into the Holocron, and its green glow faded.

The Harbinger stood up and walked over to the device. She bent over and picked it up, stuffing it in her pocket as she stood back up. "Prepare to land on the planet." She said to Jadec as she studied the Holocron.

Jadec sighed. He was obviously not happy about taking orders. "Alright then."

The Harbinger would make sure he remembered what her father said.

Added Chapter 64 to The Shadows Fall"Your only hope to survive is to give in to the rage boiling within you, to acknowledge the Dark Side you deny, and tap into it!"--Darth Tyranus

The Harbinger and Jadec sat on a low bench outside of The Minister of CEDF operations' office. Chiss officers and civilians rummaged around the large waiting room, but the two outsiders were The Minister's only visitors. The Chiss Expansionary Defense Force headquarters looked like a fortress from the outside, but the inside was that of a calm corporate office. The Harbinger did not fall for the ploy. The Chiss were naturally a deceptive people. No doubt the full military might of the Ascendancy was lying in wait for something. The CEDF had a policy of firing second, but always remained vigilant.

The Harbinger turned her gaze to the left window, peering through the frozen glass to see the outside. The snowy wastes and glaciers looked beautiful from the warmth of the Chiss buildings. The snow on the ground sparkled, reflecting the sunlight slightly. The wind currents picked up loose snow from the ground and carried it into the distance. A rare day, this was. Not often does Csilla see a sunny day.

The Harbinger sensed someone approach. She turned away from the window to face a Chiss officer. His blue skin had darkened to a deep blue. His red eyes glowed brightly, as if piercing into her very soul. One thing that made this officer unique was that his hair was grey, unlike the jet black hair of the other Chiss in the room. The Harbinger believed the grey hair to be a sign of aging.

"The Minister will see you now, ma'am." The officer told her before walking off to speak with the Chiss secretary.

She softly slapped Jadec, who had fallen asleep during the wait, with her right hand. Jadec woke up with a startle. "Wait here." She told him as she got up from the bench. Jadec nodded and leaned his head back against the wall, quickly falling asleep once again.

*** *** *** ***

The Prism- Command Center

The Prism's Command Center acted as a make-shift bridge for The Master. From here he could see the blue streaks of hyperspace dispel as they slowed to a stop. From the large viewport, The Master's target came into view- Mon Calamari. The shipyards of Mon Calamari to be exact. After The Master secured Kuat's allegiance, Mon Calamari served as one of the few large shipyards to provide ships for the Galactic Alliance. The shipyards formed a large ring around the blue marble planet.

"Master." The Brain studied the large computer consoles in the Command Center. "I count thirteen Mon Calamari vessels." He paused as he calculated their model. "Five Viscount- class, seven Mediator- class, and one unknown vessel of Mon Calamari design." He transmitted the unknown vessel's image on the large computer monitor.

It was a radical departure from traditional Mon Calamari vessels. It exhibited a circular exterior, but what made it different was the large scythe at the front. It was an experimental vessel as The Master had never seen it before.

The Master turned his view back to the shipyards. The Mon Calamarian vessels moved to engage the super-prison. "Ignore the ships. Divert all weapons power to the shields and engines. We are going to plunge this prison into that shipyard."

The Brain looked up from the monitors. "Master?" Surprised tone. "You just acquired this fortress. Why throw it away?"

"Because the Mon Calamari shipyards are a major supplier for the Galactic Alliance. We will use The Prism to destroy them. We lose nothing, the Allaince loses a major asset." The Master was intent on making his takeover as easy as possible. The destruction of the Mon Calamarian shipyards would draw him closer to achieving that goal. "Now, set a course for that shipyard. We will escape on the last shuttle."

"Yes, master." He said as he punched in commands on the Command Console.

*** *** *** ***

Csilla- Csaplar- CEDF Headquarters- The Minister's Office

The Harbinger sat down in the cushioned chair of the Minister's office. The Minister seemed to fancy artwork. Mon Calamarian paintings, statues of Echani heroes long passed, and other various works of art decorated his office.

The Minister sat across the desk from her. Characteristic of Chiss, he had deep red eyes and jet black hair, and his blue skin exhibited a darkened nature. "So you are The Master's child." His voice was smooth and calm. "When your father told me to expect a visit from his offspring, I must say that I was expecting someone more... intimidating, like your father."

The Harbinger felt like he was taunting her, but that impression would be lost on a normal being. The Minister's voice was so smooth and calm, almost alluring. It was similar to her father's voice. "Before we start, what is your name? My father never told me."

The Minister reached a hand up to stroke his chin. "My name?" He asked as he shifted in his chair. "Mitth'raw'nuruodo."

Mitth'raw'nuruodo? "Thrawn?" She queried.

"Yes." He replied. "A clone of Thrawn to be precise. Your father found me in a cloning tank and took me to the Iron Citadel. There he told me what I am, and enlisted me to his cause. He quickly placed me in this position, and my history was obscured from the Ruling families."

The Harbinger was dumbstruck. She had studied the legacy of Grand Admiral Thrawn, but never expected to see a living clone of the Grand Admiral. "Amazing!" She exclaimed.

'Thrawn' chuckled. "Indeed it is. But back to business. What are you here for? Does The Master have need of my skills?"

The Harbinger nodded. "Yes. He has need of the Chiss Ascendancy, and you are apparently the key to this."

"Partially." 'Thrawn' pulled open a drawer on his desk and retrieved a red pyramid from the drawer before shutting the it. "This is the real key." He said as he placed the pyramid on the desk.

The Harbinger could feel the dark energy exude from the pyramid. It was a Sith Holocron. "A Holocron?"

"Yes. The Master gave me this to complete my task. This device contains powerful dark energies, and the teachings of an ancient Sith Emperor. I have used this device's dark power to subtly gain control of a number of the Ruling Families."

The Harbinger did not think such a thing was possible for a normal person to do. "How did you accomplish this without being corrupted yourself?"

'Thrawn' held the device up to his face, studying it very closely. "I don't know. The Master told me that I would be safe from its effects, but he never told me how."

The Harbinger decided to move their conversation forward. "So the Chiss Ascendancy will fight for him?"

'Thrawn' set the Holocron back down. "They will fight for me. But, yes, they will fight for The Master."

"Excellent. I look forward to working with you when the war begins." Indeed, she wished greatly to see if this clone exhibited the same tactical prowess as the original Grand Admiral.

*** *** *** ***

Prisoner Transfer Shuttle- Mon Calamari system

Gazing through the small viewport of the prisoner transfer shuttle, The Master watched as The Prism drifted towards the Mon Calamari shipyards. The Prism was taking heavy fire from the Mon Calamari vessels, the heavy ion cannons eventually breaking through the prison's shields. Chunks of The Prism began to break away from the structure, but by then it was too late.

The Prism collided with the ringed shipyards, exploding in a great ball of fire. The shockwaves could be felt by The Watchers on the shuttle. The explosion rocked the shipyard, destroying a large chunk of the ring and destabilizing the rest of the structure. Several chunks of The Prism and the shipyard were sent into some of the Mon Calamari vessels. Other pieces were caught up in the gravitational field of the blue ocean-world and sent plumetting into the planet.

"Excellent work, my friends." The Master said. "Mon Calamari has been neutralized. Brain, take us to our shipyards."

The Master intended to finalize the construction of Project Death, and reignite his war.

Added Chapter 64 to The Shadows Fall"Your only hope to survive is to give in to the rage boiling within you, to acknowledge the Dark Side you deny, and tap into it!"--Darth Tyranus

Jaina Solo disembarked Kyle Katarn's shuttle, Raven's Claw, into the frigid wastes of Csilla. The cold wind chilled her to the bone. Wisps of snow were kicked up by the winds, sending flakes of snow at her. She had bundled up in heavy duty cold weather gear, but even then the cold got to her.

"We couldn't have at least landed in a better spot?" She asked Kyle Katarn, yelling over the howling winds.

Kyle exited the Raven's Claw, bundled in the same heavy clothing that she was wearing. "We should be glad the Hutt decided to put a tracker on The Master's agent's shuttle, Jaina." He approached her, his cheeks already red from the cold. "And besides, no one said a Jedi's life was glamorous."

Jaina studied their surroundings. The inhospitable homeworld of the Chiss sported massive glaciers and towering spires of solid ice. They had landed in the dead of night, several miles away from the capital city of Csplar.

She guessed Kyle wanted to act with discretion. "How long until we reach the city?" She asked.

Kyle surveyed the landscape that stood between them and Csaplar. A frozen lake was all that stood between them and Csaplar. "I guess we'll find out." He said in reply. He waved her to follow and they set off to cross the frozen lake.

*** *** *** ***

Csilla- Outskirts of Csaplar

The Assassin and his twin brother, bundled in cold weather equipment, watched the two Jedi depart for the frozen lake. Their quarry moved slowly towards the city of Csaplar, fighting the brisk winds with every step they took. The Assassin signaled The Shadow to move forward. Like shadows in the night, the two Twi'leks followed after them, intent on carrying out The Master's will.

*** *** *** ***

Hidden Shipyards- Project Death- Hangar 32

The Master and The Watchers stepped off of the boarding ramp of the prisoner transfer shuttle and onto the cold durasteel of his mightiest weapon. Project Death's thirty-second hangar was buzzing with activity. Loader droids loaded supplies onto shuttles, astromech droids fueled starfighters, and security droids patrolled the large hangar.

The Master's Voice, the Captain of his Guard, approached them. "Master." His voice rumbling. "Project Death is complete, at last." He bowed low.

The Master nodded. "Good. Take me to the bridge."

The Voice bowed again, and turned heel to escort them to the bridge.

They walked the long halls of Project Death. The Master's senses expanded to investigate every nook and cranny of his new flagship. The ship was in perfect condition. Weapons were charged and ready, all systems were online, but what was most intriguing was the forboding darkness that lurked within the mighty vessel.

He knew it would be so. He had collected pieces of the ancient Star Forge to meld with the vessel. He had also collected ancient Sith and Rakatan artifacts to store within the might ship's vaults. The darkness that permeated the ship came from the pieces of the Star Forge and the artifacts. The ancient spirits that possessed the Sith artifacts had possessed the ship itself. The Master would reign these spirits in, and dominate them with his will.

They entered the bridge, a dark and forboding place. The bridge was empty. No computers, no crew. Only a throne for The Master stood within the bridge. The red lighting of the bridge wrought a sense of unease, giving the bridge a more menacing appearance.

The Master strode to the center of the large room and knelt on the floor. "Leave me." He commanded them.

When he heard the bridge door close, The Master closed his eyes and meditated. He drew the darkness of the vessel to the bridge, centering it around himself. He battled the Sith spirits. They put up strong resistance, but eventually succumbed to The Master's will.

Project Death's darkness now permeated the bridge. Purple mist descended to the floor, nearly concealing the durasteel floor from view. The red lights that illuminated the bridge dimmed as a black haze clouded the atmosphere. The darkness swirled around The Master.

He was the master of this ship. He had mastered the ship and death itself. He was immortal. He was death incarnate, and this ship was his herald. His new flagship would be a symbol of his power. The Master would bring a new war, and this ship would be the weapon that would end the Galactic Alliance and the Jedi.

His time was close.

Spoiler

The exact specifcations for Project Death (now renamed The Herald of Death) will be released at the beginning of the third installment.

The end of this installment is closing in.

Added Chapter 64 to The Shadows Fall"Your only hope to survive is to give in to the rage boiling within you, to acknowledge the Dark Side you deny, and tap into it!"--Darth Tyranus

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The statements and opinions expressed on these websites are solely those of their respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the views, nor are they endorsed by Bioware, LucasArts, and its licensors do not guarantee the accuracy of, and are in no way responsible for any content on these websites.